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lagatella_gw

sterling silver flatware in the dw

20 years ago

I have washed sterling in my dw for years. Just renovated my kitchen and now have a Kenmore Elite which does a great job on dishes but has turned the ss a funny dull color and my glasses are getting a fog. I added that stuff that's suppose to stop spots.....could that be the reason?

Help....I'm worried my sterling is ruined! It has gotten this way in just a couple of months of washing.

Comments (8)

  • 20 years ago

    Lagatella, has there been any change in your water quality? My glasses used to "fog", actually etch, because I use a water softener and filtration unit. Most dish detergents are made to accomodate hard water. Once I switched to a dishwasher detergent formulated for "soft" water, my glasses stopped fogging.

  • 20 years ago

    I agree with Becky....and you also may be using too much detergent....
    Your silverware will polish...try it to be sure....but the glassware may be ruined.
    Are you using the power dry cycle? that may also contribute....it the detergent isn't getting rinsed off well enough and then the heat cycle comes on....that all contributes to dulling the finish.
    I ruined several sets of glasses and coulded some of my good lead crystal wine glasses before I figured out "less detergent!!!"
    Today's detergents are made for people who don't scrape nor pre rinse their dishes and are built strong to take care of the extra gunk. But if you rinse your dishes, then there is extra detergent in the washer and it acts on the dishes and glassware....because there is no more food.
    Get some Wrights....polish your silver....and try less of a perhaps different product.
    Linda C....who has put her sterling in the dishwasher for about 35 years.

  • 20 years ago

    Sterling + stainless (or any other metal) will F up the silver finish in a dishwasher if they touch. If you're going to do sterling, DO NOT have any other metals in the DW.

  • 17 years ago

    It is better to use commercial sterling silver cleaners but you can also used warm water with a mild soap, baking soda or mild phosphate free detergents.

    Here is a link that might be useful: sterling silver flatware

  • 17 years ago

    Call your water company. In my case, it's the county water department. A friend of mine called, and our water is very soft, so I use about half as much dw detergent as called for.

  • 17 years ago

    I always wash my silverplate by hand. I use silver polish about once a year to maintain its shine. I rarely use the silverplate, I use my stainless flatware daily and it gets washed in the DW.

  • 17 years ago

    I use m y sterling daily and put it into the dishwasher....have for about 35 years.
    LiNDA c

  • 17 years ago

    I've also heard that washing sterling with lemon or other citrus "flavored" dishwashing soaps can affect the silver. Something to do with the acid.